


Submerged

by radiowrittenheart



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Human, Bittersweet, Broken Families, Coming of Age, Drabble, Other, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-14
Updated: 2015-10-14
Packaged: 2018-04-26 09:28:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4999561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radiowrittenheart/pseuds/radiowrittenheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three... five... seven... nine... Malachite knows something is wrong. But it takes her a while to grasp the fact.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Submerged

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know why I wrote this - I was bored in between classes on a free day at school. Enjoy.
> 
> (also this is the first time i wrote in 2nd POV so be gentle)

You start noticing it at the mere age of three. Your mothers argue, all of the time. About everything. The one time Mama hit Mommy wasn’t just one time and it wasn’t an accident. You were young, but you knew better.

Mama and Mommy both loved you, but they didn’t love each other.

**~~~~~~**

As you turn five, you’re split between them both. They share you, even if you all live in the same house together. At night, Mommy cuddles with you and whispers, “I love you, baby girl.”

Mama never calls you that; “tyke”, “runt” and “scamp” is what she uses.

You wonder why Mama and Mommy stay together if they don’t love each other.

You start to question yourself if they regret having you too.

_**~~~~~~** _

_“Malachite, you fucking brat!”_

You’re seven. You cut the hair off of another girl in school because she made fun of you. There’s screaming in the house, “Jasper, don’t!” and “Stay the hell out of this, Lapis!”, and you want to run away. But you can’t. Seven is the age you get smart. You realize your house is broken.

You realize your Mama and Mommy never loved each other.

And you start to wonder if Mama loves you.

**~~~~~~**

Right after you turn nine years old, Mommy takes you to a friend of hers. He’s got a funny last name but you stay with him and his family for a little while. This is what a secure home feels like, isn’t it? Everyone smiling, laughing, and not having to have dinner with just one parent. For crying out loud, it’s like he’s got three moms and his dad.

You only have two moms. Two moms who hate each other.

The boy with the funny last name has such a great family, you envy him.

You envy him so much.

You don’t know what overcomes you, but you punch him square in the face when he keeps pestering you for a hug. Mommy apologizes for you…

...and the boy with the funny last name forgives you.

So this is what family feels like.

**~~~~~~**

_“Malachite Lazuli, would you please come to the office?”_ is what you hear on your eleventh birthday when you’re at school.

Your mom ended up in the hospital. The police take you there in one of their cars. They ask you questions about Mama. If she was violent, if she yelled at a lot, if she was ever mean to you. You answer truthfully. Yes to all of them.

You don’t know why your mama is in handcuffs. You want to see your mom.

But they say she’s hurt. Beaten.

By … Jasper.

You don’t have the heart to call her Mama anymore. Not what after she did.

**~~~~~~**

At thirteen, you and your mother are something of a happy family now. Mom’s cut her hair into a cute little bob, she seems happier, and she got a tattoo on her back; wings trapped in chains. You think it suits her, and you’re proud of her- you’re proud for both of you.

You’re starting to free each other from the past.

**~~~~~~**

Just when you start enjoying being fifteen, Jasper is sent to jail. You and Mom have no choice but to go to the final trial. When Jasper gets dragged away, she looks at you and says that she’s sorry - turns on the waterworks and everything. You’ve never seen her truly cry like this; she used to fake cry for Mom’s forgiveness way back when.

But that was then. And this is now.

And you know that these are crocodile tears too.

**~~~~~~**

Finally, at seventeen, it’s all gone. The burdens, the worries and the fear.

You and Mom moved in with friends of hers, and that includes the boy with the funny last name. He becomes your friend too. You let him in. You decide that maybe you should have done that a long time ago. You should have let people in, especially someone as caring as him.

But it doesn’t matter.

You’re Malachite now. You’re who you want to be. You aren’t scared anymore. _You’re free._

 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always appreciated! :)


End file.
